Peripheral Intimacy in Neil Gaimans THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS

Peripheral Intimacy in Neil Gaimans THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS A lot has been written about what the Internet has done to memoirs and creative nonfictionâ€"that our hundred and forty character bare-all confessions have both escalated the intimacy of the content and desensitized us to it. Are we hungry for secrets? Do we expect every personal essay to take us back to our slumber party years when we’d sit on our pillows and open up our hearts like the bags of Cheetos we had nearby in great numbers? I can’t speak for the rest of the class here, but I think I do. I do expect those things. I recently experienced this with Neil Gaiman. I bought his first collection of nonfiction, The View from the Cheap Seats, with nothing short of atomic bombs of delight exploding in the New Mexico of my chest. I’m a curious soul, interested in people and obsessed with context. So holding this massive volume of Real Life Neil Gaiman, I was just about over the moon. I cracked it open, ready to stay up past my bedtime to pass Neil the Cheetos and listen as he shared his deepest fears, most embarrassing moments, and secret crushes. As I worked my way through the essays, it became clear this was not going to be that kind of slumber party. Not exactly. The first time I encountered Neil Gaiman, I didn’t know who he was or what he was all about. I was in seventh grade, and head over heels in love with SimCity2000. I’d cheat code the heck out of it because I’m an idiot at most things including city planning, and with my pile of ill-gotten Simoleons I would stack my simulated city with libraries until they outnumbered my residents. I am what I am. I also liked to click on everything I could, because as I said I’m curious. Something special happens when you click on your libraryâ€"you have the option to “ruminate.” It was a big word for me, but I clicked it anyway. And that’s how I learned that “ruminate” is a just another way of saying “read a short essay by Nail Gaiman about the wonder and terror and personalities and anthropomorphic essence of cities.” It was incredible, and I loved it and was kind of shaken by it. But I loved it. I ruminated often. Even before I was a fully bloomed reader, I was a book lover. I know how backward that sounds, believe me. I would ruminate over the white shelf in our basement that held my dad’s science fiction and fantasy collection. I would admire the spines and the covers and wonder what secrets they would tell me if these books and I were sitting on our pillows swapping stories late into the night. But I hesitated to find out; I don’t really know why. There was too much SimCity2000 to play, I suppose. Too many Cheetos to crunch. Neil Gaiman also loves books. (see also: surprise!) He has loved reading and books for pretty much the whole of his life, and most of the essays collected in The View from the Cheap Seats are book-related. Most are introductions, many are speeches, some are interviews and short works of journalism. And as I kept going, as I kept turning the pages, I realized that was I was actually doing was following Neil as he ruminated through the stacks of the SimLibrary central to his career, his character, his everything. He was ruminating. And he was letting us ruminate with him. John Waters gave famous advice about what to do if you accept an invitation upstairs with someone you might want to spend a night with. Let’s assume they do indeed own books, and you do indeed stay the night, and they do indeed get up for a drink of water and you have just enough time to scamper to their shelf and admire the spines and covers of their personal collection. That, my friends, is intimacy; that’s vulnerability. That’s rumination. This changed the way I finished reading this book. I forgave in an instant what at first felt like too much psychic distance for my taste. As he pointed out volumes or pulled them from the metaphysical shelf as we passed together, I took them in my arms lovingly. It’s how I found The Einstein Intersection , The Kryptonite Kid, and many many more. He was giving gifts. In addition to introducing us to the books he loved, Neil Gaiman also introduces us to people living and dead that he loved in various ways. The essays he wrote for Amanda Palmer each admire her differently from different points on their timeline (they’re married now, in case you did not know). His words for Terry Pratchett capture a life from different points on a timeline, too. (He has since passed away, in case you did not know.) All are tender, honest, and celebratory even when weighed down with sadness. I dare you to read “Jack Kirby: King of Comics” and not find yourself on fire for the comic book legend on whose shoulders Neil stood to recreate Sandman. I double dog dare you to read “Hi, by the Way” or its successor and not feel even slightly tipsy by proxy from sexy Spanish wine and the madcap beauty of Neil’s friendship with Tori Amos. I triple dog dare you to read “So Many Ways To Die in Syria Now: May 2014”, for which Neil turns down the volume on his writi ng at the sentence level in order to lift up the voice of the subjectâ€"human beings crying out for help in real-timeâ€"and not feel called to action. He loves these refugees, and hopes we will love them too and will extend a hand in whatever way we can. These essays are all about love, and though the intimacy seems peripheral it’s there in great supply. And maybe there’s wisdom in keeping the intimacy somewhat oblique. In “Waiting for the Man” Gaiman interviews Lou Reed, a personal and creative hero of his. As Reed moves from periphery into plain sightâ€"warts and prickliness and allâ€"Neil has a moment of understanding that this is probably too close for comfort. “I’d been around long enough,” he writes, “to know the person isn’t the art…I went back to being a fan, happy to celebrate the magic without the magician.” My craving for a Neil Gaiman tell-all may never be satisfied. I’m okay with that now. We have his stories, marbled to varying degrees with his beliefs, his fears, his memories, his secret crushes, his not secret crushes, his dreams, and of course of course of course his magic. You can keep your Cheetos. Just pass me more of that instead. Actually who am I kidding, I’ll take some Cheetos, too.

Essay On Hispanic Growth And Growth - 748 Words

Hispanic Growth Strategy Updates †¢ Ramon will start his new role as Business Development ____ in October †¢ Stamford FCU kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) with a staff celebration on September 15th. For the duration of HHM, the credit union staff will wear buttons wishing members a Happy Hispanic Heritage Month. †¢ Ramon will begin to build relationships and partnerships with community organizations. Ramon has a background in banking, radio, and comedy. Stamford is confident Ramon’s personality will be well liked by the Hispanic community. †¢ Ramon would like to reach potential Hispanic members at their jobs. Building relationships with local employers will hopefully get his foot in the door. †¢ Stamford has meetings coming up with†¦show more content†¦Stamford currently has a secured credit building product. Stamford will explore the possibility of an unsecured credit building product. †¢ Coopera will share a sample credit building policy from Des Moines Metro Credit Union. †¢ Coopera will draft talking points for Ramon to utilize when he meets with local organizations. †¢ Stamford and Coopera will have an ongoing conversation about product enhancements. Coopera Team Transition Period †¢ Alba’s last week with Coopera was the week of September 25th. She has the opportunity to go back to her native country to spend time with her father. †¢ Miriam de Dios, CEO, will be the primary liaison in the partnership between Stamford and Coopera †¢ Coopera is dedicated to help Stamford enhance and growth their Hispanic growth efforts. Credit Unions and the Rescission of DACA †¢ Stamford is familiar with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. They are aware that the program has been rescinded and is right now with Congress. †¢ It is important to keep discussing this topic for it might affect employees and credit union members. Digital Marketing Opportunities †¢ The Spanish marketing campaigns are surpassing English marketing campaigns in return of investment. †¢ Coopera is partnering with an organization to introduce a new digital marketing tool that will utilize IP addresses to reach the Hispanic market online. Miriam will send Dave and Bo more information about this innovative product. †¢ SherleneShow MoreRelatedPolitics And Its Impact On Hispanics941 Words   |  4 PagesReflection Essay PART 1 1. The presentation topic was to examine the impact of politics on Latino in United States by studying various factors such as- population, citizenship status, geographic location and age. 2. The presentation talked about one of the core issue, which is Politics in this case, that affected Latino in USA. A thorough research was conducted to understand the causes and effects of politics and how it moulded the growth of Latinos in this country. 3. The learning outcome wasRead MoreThe Latino s Impact On Society1003 Words   |  5 PagesPresentation was to examine the past and future of Latino in United States by considering various factors such as- education, population growth, job opportunities, politics, etc. 2. The Presentation Topic- â€Å"Past and Future of Latinos in USA† was focussed on the socio-economic condition of Latinos over the decades. The main areas of research were education, population growth, politics and job opportunities along the time window. A clear distinction was drawn in these areas of research for better understandingRead MoreHow do cultural differences affect breast cancer prevalence, prevention, and treatment in African-American, Hispanic/Latina, and Caucasian women livin883 Words   |  4 Pagesdo cultural differences affect breast cancer prevalence, prevention, and treatment in African-American, Hispanic/Latina, and Caucasian women living in the United States? Over the past decade breast cancer has become one of the most predominant diseases in the United States. Breast cancer starts out as a malignant tumor in the tissues of the breast which is formed from the uncontrolled growth of abnormal breast cells. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can also appear in menRead MoreAlbert Kinsey Helped Change The American Public s Preconceptions On Sexuality935 Words   |  4 PagesEssay Question #2 Albert Kinsey helped change the American Public’s preconceptions on sexuality by publishing two bestselling books from 1947 to 1953 on the topic. Titled â€Å"American Sexual Behavior† and â€Å"Sexual Behavior in the Human Female†, these books both confirmed and challenged the generally held beliefs dealing with marriage, sexual gratification, and sexual orientation. Sex was deemed important for a healthy marriage, adultery was frequent and homosexuals weren’t weird anomalies. Hugh HefnerRead MoreThe Sense of Cooperation Between African Americans and Latinos in Politics1151 Words   |  5 Pagesand Latinos has existed for many years and/or decades at the national level in U.S. politics, that this cooperation between these two groups has seen its peak or finest hour and will not be able to survive the current Obama Administration. In this essay I will talk about how African-Americans and Latinos at least in terms of U.S. national politics agree with each other in terms of supporting the same policy agenda and as a result are forming coalitions with each other in order to get these policiesRead MoreEssay Ethnicity and Female Equality: A personal Opinion1529 Words   |  7 Pages Abstract The subject of my essay will be a compilation of facts and opinions on the role of ethnicity and gender on female status in the United States. Equality for females and males is influenced by ones ethnicity, by the media, by stereotypes, and by the myth of equal rights. The research methods that will be used for this essay will be only the personal opinions of the author of this essay. One believes that the findings of this essay will show that ethnicity and media generated stereotypesRead MorePersuasive Essay Outline :Minimum Wage964 Words   |  4 Pages Persuasive Essay Outline :Minimum Wage 1 Intro - I want you to think about your very first job .Were you a Bellhop ,cashier ,bartender ,cooks(fast food ),lifeguard, .Now how about your second job were you a airport worker or child care worker.About how much were youRead MoreSports Are America s Past, Present And Future1204 Words   |  5 PagesDefending Titles Diversely: Persuasive Essay Sports are America’s past, present and future. Most everybody can come together and enjoy sporting events. By saying â€Å"everybody†, that includes all races: white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and so on. Among athletes, what race is represented most predominately in the majority of sports? African Americans. Knowing this, it takes the population back to the 1700 and 1800s when slavery was most prevalent. In that time period, slaves were bred to do difficultRead MoreSocioeconomic Status Of Hispanic Americans Essay1633 Words   |  7 Pagesroughly 50.5 million Hispanics representing about 16 percent of the U.S. population. By 2050, when demographers tell us that there will be no racial or ethnic majority among the general population of the United States, it is projected that the Latino population will double to 30 percent. Consequently, the role of Latinos in shaping our country’s political and economic climate is becoming more significant (Para. 1).This essay will explain some of the social class experiences of Hispanic Americans includingRead More Convicted Felons Should Retain The Right to Vote Essay1613 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical games is most felt in minority communities. Blacks and Hispanics are disproportionally affected by these disenfranchisement laws. Both populations are over represented in our penal system. While the causes are issues for another essay, the end result is that large portions of our minority community’s public and political voices have been silenced. About thirteen percent of Black males and ten percent of Hispanics have been disenfranchised. These communities tend to vote largely

Usurpation of Identity in “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Usurpation of Identity in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story of a woman who goes mad while fixating on a bizarre wall-covering has been used as an early example of post-partum depression. In the latter part of the 1800’s women were seen as inferior subordinates to men who could not be trusted due to the effect of the female organs on their brains. The narrator is almost certainly a victim of the lack of medical knowledge of the day, while the prevailing attitudes in the medical field of women as childlike and the social pressure of male domination contribute to the narrator’s illness. The husband’s role as spouse and physician enable his benevolent manipulation of the narrator by isolating her and removing her†¦show more content†¦At the time Gilman wrote the story, another main role that a married woman played was that of wife as caretaker of the home. As the narrator is not allowed to do any work, John has brough t his sister Jennie along on their summer retreat. The narrator says of this character â€Å"She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession† (795) and â€Å"Jennie sees to everything now† (796). During the one visit with outsiders that she is allowed, the main character does nothing to help in the household to take care of the visitors, and this lack of contribution leaves her tired, an indication of a depressed mental state. The narrator has been displaced in her role as caretaker of the home, which removes another aspect of her identity and contributes to the internal void. American society in the late nineteenth century erroneously entertained the idea that women were incapable of rational thought and needed to be taken care of as if they were children. The narrator of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, suffering from post-partum depression and left to ruminate on her own supposed deficiencies, is forced by these ideas into a situ ation that intensifies her mental illness and creates the opposite of the effect intended by the treatment. The combination of her husband’s dominance as spouse and physician, and the presence of the nanny and sister-in-law, creates a situation in which the narrator is stripped of her roles as mother and wifeShow MoreRelatedManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesAnalyzing Ethical Problems 576 577 Social Issues 578 Privacy 579 Privacy Problems 579 E-Commerce Privacy Concerns 580 Workplace Privacy 581 Ethics of Invasion of Privacy 582 Laws on Privacy 582 Identity Theft 583 Impact of Identity Theft 584 Laws on Identity Theft 585 Intellectual Property Rights 585 Software Piracy 586 Copyright Protection Patent Protection 586 586 Digital Entertainment Piracy 587 Internet File Sharing 587 Ethical Questions

Personal Recounts- a Day in the Life of Superman Free Essays

A day in the life of Superman I nearly died today . I could not help but toss and turn in bed and think about how horrible my day had been . what would have happened if the Atomic Skull had hit me on my head. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Recounts- a Day in the Life of Superman or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Someone help me! † old . Auntie Mary was lost in the jungle. She could not find her way out and was shouting frantically for help. The sun was setting. Auntie Mary was shouting for help because she had now been captured by the notorious Atomic Skull. He was notorious because of his habit of abducting little children and the elderly. Ha ha, now nobody can save you,† laughed the Atomic Skull but he was wrong and I had heard Auntie Mary. The Atomic Skull’s teeth were a disgusting sight to look at and his face was bigger than his body. â€Å" Superman to the rescue,† I was on my way to the spot where Auntie Mary was since he was already near the jungle. I was just flying past the jungle at that time. The jungle was eerie and gloomy and had a lot of trees. No longer than a minute had passed when I arrived at the spot where Auntie Mary was. There was one problem, she and the Atomic Skull were not there anymore. The Atomic Skull had brought her somewhere. I started to look for Auntie Mary. She was nowhere in sight. Then, I heard the rustling of leaves. I turned around and saw that there was a pile of leaves nearby which could have been used to hide behind. I then had an idea. I crept the other way round the tree to the back of the pile of leaves. That was when I saw the creepy Atomic Skull. The Atomic Skull saw me and we began to fight. There was a lot of action as well as blood. The Atomic Skull could feel a punch on his cheek and felt his hand raising up to hit me. He had a scythe in the other hand and had the mean thought of hitting me with it. Auntie Mary could not bear this sight so she turned around. I was wise and had known that earlier so I kicked the scythe out of the Atomic Skulls hand. The Atomic Skull was helpless now he was powerless and could not do anything but ask for forgiveness or so I thought so. Just as I turned around with Auntie Mary, the Atomic Skull, being very nasty, crept towards his scythe and picked it up, aimed it at me. Just as he was about to throw it, I turned around saw what the Atomic Skull was up to. I ducked just in time and gave the Atomic Skull one last kick of mine which was one of the famous style of kicks. The Atomic Skull lay there, groaning in pain as if he had fallen from a tree which was very high and broke a bone or two. â€Å"Better luck next time, Atomic Skull. Always remember that where there is evil ,there is good and where there is you , there is me! Ha ha! † I was smiling to myself because I had just realised that I had spent two hours thinking of what had happened instead of sleeping. â€Å" How silly of me! † he said before he started to snore. How to cite Personal Recounts- a Day in the Life of Superman, Essay examples

The Doctrine Of Soteriology Essay Example For Students

The Doctrine Of Soteriology Essay The Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology)God provides us with everything we need; we see this in Genesis where he provided Adam everything he needed. Jesus became a man by reincarnation a verse to support this is John 1:14 The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory. The glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus was perfect he did not even yield to the temptations of his nature unlike the people around him. It says in John 14:30 that but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Jesus did not even yield to temptations in his actions. Jesus died for us, his death was a substitute for our deaths, and his death was sufficient in doing so. Though Jesus died he did not stay that way for long. As a matter of fact he was resurrected just like it says in I Corinthians For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. Jesus death covered sin completely. After he was resurrected he ascended to heaven. We will write a custom essay on The Doctrine Of Soteriology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As Christians we must admit that we are sinners and that we deserve to die in hell forever. Because of Christ we do not have to suffer that though. We must repent for our sins and must believe that Christ died on the cross for our sins. We must also ask Chris to come and live in our hearts and help us live our lives. We must dedicate everything to Christ and not put anything before him. We must witness to others our life in Christ so that they may also receive Gods gift.God calls us to him in many ways some of them are:1. The Bible: Romans 10:16-17. 2.The Holy Spirit: John 16:7-11. 3. Through men: Romans 10:14-15. 4.Through Providence: Romans 2:4. We turn to God when we repent and show God that we have faith. When you repent you turn away from sin. When you have faith you turn to Jesus and just trust in him without reason or answers.God forgives us no matter how many times we mess up. God still loves us even when we mess up. When we ask for forgiveness we receive the righteousness of Jesus. A scripture to support this is II Corinthians 5:21 God made him who gad no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. God works through the Holy Spirit and in doing so he makes the believer holy in heart and behavior. To become sanctified you must daily die to sin and live everyday for Christ. Sanctification is a process: You must: A. Be sanctified when you are new born in Christ. B. Be righteous throughout your life. C. Final sanctification occurs when Christ ReturnsAll these help you to understand and daily live your life the way Christ would have you to.

Whole Food Market

Whole Food Market Introduction Nadler and Tushman (1980) developed a model of change describing how the components of an organization interact with each other. In essence, they established that there are several key components of an organization including, individuals, tasks, and organizational processes. In addition, it was found that these components affect each other so that a change in one of the aspects affects another one.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Whole Food Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Importantly, it is evident that the congruence model discuss the transformation of inputs into the outputs. Inputs could include factors such as competition, finances, and human resources while the outputs include the products as well as the services provided by the organization. This paper will focus on three critical aspects of this congruence models while analyzing the Whole Food Market as an organization. These aspects include outputs at organizational level, the groups identified by the organization during its operations, and key individual functions of the people who might be involved in the process of production. Outputs at Organizational Level In regard to the outputs at the organizational level, Naldler and Tushman (1980) suggested that the products and services provided by the company are the most pertinent aspects. Essentially, Whole Food Market produces food for human consumption in various geographical locations that include United Kingdom and USA among others. In addition, the company sought to produce body care products such as lotions following the rising demand for these products in the modern society. When it comes to the classification of these products, there are three pertinent categories that include organic foods, beverages, as well as body care products in general. The company understands that food should not only sustain physical satisfaction and tastes, but also the health of the consumers. As a result, the management sought to produce organic food since they reduce the risk of ill health among the consumers. This reduction is facilitated by the methods used during the production of the organic foods. For example, organic farmers do not use the pesticides which have been proven to contain harmful chemical that can be taken up by the body. Some of these organic foods include frozen products, pantry staples, snacks, and supplements among others. When it comes to beverages, there are various products, including organic orange juice, rice milk, and coffee among others.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The body care products also form a crucial part of the products provided to the customers by the Whole Food Market. These products include lotions, shampoo, conditioners, and soaps used for cleaning as well as bathing. The performance of these products is presented in terms of financial profitability in order to determine their solvency. However, it is evident that the company does not present the respective profits for each of the products. Instead, it provides the overall profitability margins for the company. Although the margins are generalized, it is obvious that the recorded profits accrue from the sales of the foods, beverages and body care products. Figure 1: The Whole Food Market returns (Pollan, 2008). From the image presented, it is evident that the pertinent aspects used to determine the performance of the products and services include gross, EBIT, operation, EBITDA and net profit margins. Further, the company makes estimates regarding the expected profits in the subsequent years using the data obtained for the previous years. Outputs Group Level Suppliers In accordance to the demand for their products, Whole Food Market has identified suppliers who provide them with raw material for the production of b everages, foods and body care products. Understandably, food and beverages are the most crucial part of their production process. As a result, they have identified local farmers who provide the raw foods that are then used for the production.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Whole Food Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When identifying the farmers, they consider the needs of the consumers’ needs in order to determine the appropriate suppliers. In this regard, the company has identified the organic farmers since they need to provide healthy food to the consumers (Mackey Sisodia, 2013). In essence, the selection of these suppliers is based on whether the involved farmers can provide the needed quality in line with sustainable agriculture. Employees In relation to employees, there are both the managerial and technical employees who have been hired to oversee the running of the company and provide the required skills of production respectively. The managers have a responsibility to offer the required leadership and ensuring order in the organization. In addition, they are mandated to recruit the technical employees whereby they are expected to ensure that each of them has the required skills in relation to the field of employment. As a result, the company is capable of maintaining high standard of production and desirable quality of the foods. The performance of these managers is measured according to the performance of their departments. For example, the HR managers are evaluated in accordance to how they coordinate the workers and tap human skills. Failure to incorporate the necessary human resource is termed as underperformance. For the technical employees, their performance is evaluated in accordance to how they adhere to the regulation and standards set by the management. Accordingly, employees who do not abide by these standards and regulations are underperformers. Geograph ical Regions The company recognizes the geographical groups by operating in twelve different locations. In this regard, each of the regions has a president, the administrative team and the people mandated to oversee the store. These geographical groups have been set to decentralize the services and make sure that the company is capable of reaching as many people as possible and make good financial profits. Key Individual Functions There are various individual functions that are identified in the entire organizational setup. The roles of the president are some of the most conspicuous individual functions within the organization’s structure.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More First, the CEO has individual functions since he is the founder of the company. He offers the leadership of the entire company for all the geographical regions in which the company operates. All the presidents report to the chief executive officer regarding the performance of their respective areas. In essence, he is an executive player mandated to make critical decisions such as investments. Second, there are presidents appointed for each of the geographical regions, and mandated to oversee the setting of the annual budget, authorize expenditure, and coordinate the administrative team. The individual function of the president can be considered as a crucial role since the entire chain of command executes the orders and decisions made by this office. In addition, they are the mediators between the executive arms of the company and the employees in the lower levels of operation. Chief Operating officer is another individual function which is set to oversee the daily processes of the c ompany. These operations include the supply of raw materials and distribution among other. The officer is crucial in the chain of command due to the mandate of reporting to the president regarding any unfolding within the organizational processes of production. The organization has incorporated a chief financial officer who advises the president concerning critical decisions. In this regard, the financial officer has the professional knowledge that enables to determine the financial implication of decisions. As a result, the president and CEO must consult with the officer before taking any step so as to evaluate the effects of their decisions before implementation. Another individual function found within the company is executed by the Growth and Development officer. The officer is mandated to develop new products and come up with new ways of manufacturing them. In this regard, the officer must initiate research in order to determine the changing needs to the consumers and hence pro vide the required products. This undertaking ensures that the company expands the market while maintaining the original customers. Conclusion in Terms of Interacting Outputs The individual functions of the CEO, presidents, and the various officers revolve around monitoring the operation of the mentioned groups. As a result, it is evident that there is congruence between the individual functions and the groups. In turn, the groups provide the required raw materials and also offer the needed skills for production of the foods and beverage. Owing to the regulations and standards set by the executive arms, the groups are capable of maintaining the quality of the products. Consequently, the profitability of the products is ensured since the customers get the needed quality. References Mackey, J., Sisodia, R. (2013). Conscious capitalism: liberating the heroic spirit of business. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Review Press. Nadler, D., Tushman, M. (1980). A Model for Diagnosing Organiz ational Behavior. Organizational Dynamics, 9(2), 35-51. Pollan, M. (2008). In defense of Whole Food Market: an eaters manifesto. New York: Penguin Press.

How the Netherlands Reclaimed Land From the Sea

How the Netherlands Reclaimed Land From the Sea In 1986, the Netherlands proclaimed the new 12th province of Flevoland but they didnt carve out the province from already existing Dutch land nor did they annex the territory of their neighbors - Germany and Belgium. The Netherlands grew larger with the aid of dikes and polders, making the old Dutch adage While God created the Earth, the Dutch created the Netherlands come true. The Netherlands The independent country of the Netherlands only dates back to 1815, but the area and its people have a much longer history. Located in northern Europe, just northeast of Belgium and west of Germany, the Netherlands contains 280 miles (451 km) of coastline along the North Sea. It also contains the mouths of three important European rivers: the Rhine, Schelde, and Meuse. This translates into a long history of dealing with water and attempts to prevent massive, destructive flooding. The North Sea Floods The Dutch and their ancestors have been working to hold back and reclaim land from the North Sea for over 2000 years. Beginning around 400 BCE, the Frisians were first to settle the Netherlands. It was they who built terpen (an Old Frisian word meaning villages), which were earth mounds upon which they built houses or even entire villages. These terpen were built to protect the villages from flooding. (Although there were once thousands of these, there are about a thousand terpen that still exist in the Netherlands.) Small dikes were also built around this time, usually being rather short (about 27 inches or 70 cm high) and made of natural materials found around the local area. On December 14, 1287, the terpen and dikes that held back the North Sea failed, and water flooded the country. Known as the St. Lucias Flood, this flood killed over 50,000 people and is considered one of the worst floods in history. A result of the massive St. Lucias Flood was the creation of a new bay, called Zuiderzee (South Sea), formed by floodwaters that had inundated a large area of farmland. Pushing Back the North Sea For the next few centuries, the Dutch worked to slowly push back the water of the Zuiderzee, building dikes and creating polders (the term used to describe any piece of land reclaimed from water). Once dikes were built, canals and pumps were used to drain the land and to keep it dry. From the 1200s, windmills were used to pump excess water off the fertile soil becoming an icon of the country in the process. Today, however, most of the windmills have been replaced with electricity- and diesel-driven pumps. Reclaiming the Zuiderzee Then, storms and floods of 1916 provided the impetus for the Dutch to start a major project to reclaim the Zuiderzee. From 1927 to 1932, a 19 mile (30.5 km) long dike called Afsluitdijk (the Closing Dike) was built, turning the Zuiderzee into the IJsselmeer, a freshwater lake. On February 1, 1953, another devastating flood hit the Netherlands. Caused by a combination of a storm over the North Sea and spring tide, waves along the sea wall rose to 15 feet (4.5 m) higher than mean sea level. In some areas, the water peaked above existing dikes and spilled upon unsuspecting, sleeping towns. Just over 1,800 people in the Netherlands died, 72,000 people had to be evacuated, thousands of livestock died, and there was a huge amount of property damage. This devastation prompted the Dutch to pass the Delta Act in 1958, changing the structure and administration of the dikes in the Netherlands. This, in turn, created the collective known as the North Sea Protection Works, which included building a dam and barriers across the sea. There is no wonder that this huge engineering feat is now considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Further protective dikes and works were built, beginning to reclaim the land of the IJsselmeer. The new land led to the creation of the new province of Flevoland from what had been sea and water for centuries. Much of the Netherlands Is Below Sea Level Today, approximately 27 percent of the Netherlands is actually below sea level. This area is home to over 60 percent of the countrys population of 15.8 million people. The Netherlands, which is approximately the size of the U.S. states Connecticut and Massachusetts combined, has an approximate average elevation of 36 feet (11 meters). This leaves a huge part of the Netherlands highly susceptible to flooding. Time will tell if the North Sea Protection Works are strong enough to protect it.